This is a page about the American philosopher, William James.
Biography
Born: 1842
Died: 1910
William James was the oldest child in his family. He started studying art with William Hunt in 1858. But, he dropped art and attended Lawerence Scientific School at Harvard. Then, in 1864, William entered Harvard School of Medicine. When he was in Medical school, he suffered eye strain, back problems,and sucidal depressions. He studied physiology at Berlin University. In 1872, he recieved an offer from president Eliot of Harvard to teach an undergraduate course in comparative physiology. In 1874 and 1975 he established the first American psychology labratory. In 1878 he married Alice Howe Gibbens. Taught psychology and philosophy at Harvard.
Major Works
Principles of Philosophy
The Will to Believe and Other Essays
Varieties of Religous Experience
Protagonism
The Meaning of Truth
Quotes
"A great many people think they are thinking when they are really rearranging their predjudices."
"Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact."
"There is only one thing a philosopher can be relied upon to do, and that is to contradict other philosophers."
"The greatest use of life is to spend it for somehting that will outlast it."
"The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook."
"Human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives."
Facts about William James
He became widely known as the father of American pragmatic philosophy. To William an idea was true if it "worked." He is a life member of the Virginia Historical Society. William was a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He was the founder and director of the W.J. Barrow Research Labratory for the study of paper permanence. He was the owner of his own shop.
Philosophy
Pragmatism was originated in the United States during the latter quarter of the nineteenth century. William James studied Pragmatism in the early 20th century. Other very important pragmatists are Charles Sanders Peirce and John Dewey. Pragmatism was a movement that thought that an idea or place or proposition is only true if it works correctly. Pragmatism is all about the practical consequences of situations. Unpractical ideas are rejected by pragmatists. According to pragmatists everything was focused on the ending.They might ask questions as in,"What happens now?" Pragmatists rejected the determinate totalites of philosophy to take a more selective approach. Pragmatism may be a way of clarifying difficult metaphysical disputes. Pragmatists thought of themselves as reformers of empiricism.
William James
Introduction
This is a page about the American philosopher, William James.
Biography
Born: 1842Died: 1910
William James was the oldest child in his family. He started studying art with William Hunt in 1858. But, he dropped art and attended Lawerence Scientific School at Harvard. Then, in 1864, William entered Harvard School of Medicine. When he was in Medical school, he suffered eye strain, back problems,and sucidal depressions. He studied physiology at Berlin University. In 1872, he recieved an offer from president Eliot of Harvard to teach an undergraduate course in comparative physiology. In 1874 and 1975 he established the first American psychology labratory. In 1878 he married Alice Howe Gibbens. Taught psychology and philosophy at Harvard.
Major Works
Principles of PhilosophyThe Will to Believe and Other Essays
Varieties of Religous Experience
Protagonism
The Meaning of Truth
Quotes
"A great many people think they are thinking when they are really rearranging their predjudices.""Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact."
"There is only one thing a philosopher can be relied upon to do, and that is to contradict other philosophers."
"The greatest use of life is to spend it for somehting that will outlast it."
"The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook."
"Human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives."
Facts about William James
He became widely known as the father of American pragmatic philosophy. To William an idea was true if it "worked." He is a life member of the Virginia Historical Society. William was a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He was the founder and director of the W.J. Barrow Research Labratory for the study of paper permanence. He was the owner of his own shop.Philosophy
Pragmatism was originated in the United States during the latter quarter of the nineteenth century. William James studied Pragmatism in the early 20th century. Other very important pragmatists are Charles Sanders Peirce and John Dewey. Pragmatism was a movement that thought that an idea or place or proposition is only true if it works correctly. Pragmatism is all about the practical consequences of situations. Unpractical ideas are rejected by pragmatists. According to pragmatists everything was focused on the ending.They might ask questions as in,"What happens now?" Pragmatists rejected the determinate totalites of philosophy to take a more selective approach. Pragmatism may be a way of clarifying difficult metaphysical disputes. Pragmatists thought of themselves as reformers of empiricism.Useful Websites
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/james/
http://www.radicalacademy.com/philjames.htmhttp://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/William_James/
Bibliography
Goodman, Russell. "William James." Stanford.Edu. 2006. 4 Apr. 2008 http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/james/.
"The Philosophy of William James." Radicalacademy.Com. 1998. 9 Apr. 2008 http://www.radicalacademy.com/philjames.htm.
"William James." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 2 Apr 2008, 00:17 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 10 Apr 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=William_James&oldid=202681693>.
Moncur, Michael. "Quotations by Author." Thequtationspage.Com. 1994. 4 Apr. 2008 <http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/William_James/>.
Simon, Linda. Genuine Reality: a Life of William James. New York: Harcourt Brace, 1998..
"Pragmatism." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 8 Apr 2008, 15:55 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 12 Apr 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pragmatism&oldid=204236601>.
World Book Encycopedia. Chicago: Field Enterprises Educational Corp., 1962.
McDermid, Douglas. "Pragmatism." Iep.Com. 2006. Trent University. 10 Apr. 2008 <http://www.iep.utm.edu/p/pragmati.htm>.